The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1887-01-14

WS "' ,.;r+;nr over to rccllne upon III; lett
gu'uiy' ',I with his right hand gathering up
elbow, navel to flip ut tho toad; but ma y-be
n ."ro better acquainted with our business
than we are" .,, ,;o,oo,, . .co,.,,,,,
:.,d;cative Of most hcartless disbelief
- =. snnerior officers superior lntellcctuallty
III r m's lori cloud burst in storm. Don't you
,lu. said Pancake, angry in every fiber,
49, .ho rareerlations say that when an en-
,.L .a ,,,on sees an officer approach, he will
l.s. a,,d saloot. and remain standin' and gain
=! osnectful manner until the officer passes
g, ,,ores beyond himr Say, don't you know
'l1 Tont Edwards tipped bit of gravel with
.,a,, cool oim that it struck the toad fairly
-, The heod. who blinked his bright eyes in
s,.,,,.;sc. and hopped back to his covert. Il
So, roollv Glad" said he, ito know that you
have learned something Of tho regulations.
Now don't say another word about it until
RIM down to the company quarters and catch
a fellow for O l,et who wants to put up money
that Won can never learn single sentence of
them Don't say another word. and you ca,,
stand in with me on tue bet"
.r4ad your heal measured since you got
this idea into it?' asked Abe Bolton, with well
assumed interest.
"If he did, he had to use surveyors chain, F."
suggested Kent, Tipping another small peb-
hlc in the direction of tho toad's retreat.
.If It wasn't for he strict orders we officers
cot Yesterday" said Pancake, mot to allow
ourselves to be provoked under any circum-
stances into striking our men, I'd learn you
fellers mighty quick not to insult your SUI
nerior officers I'd bring YOU to time, can
fell YOU. But I'll settle with you yit. I'll
have YOU in the guard HOUSE. on bread and
water in short meter, and then I'll learn you
to be respectful and obedient."
"He means 'teach,' instead of 'learn," said
Kent, apologetically to Abe. ats just awful
to have q man wearing shoulder straps
abuse English grammar in that way. What s
Grammar done to him to deserve such treao-
ment2 He hasn't even o speaking acquaint-
ance with it."
II s'pose it's because grammar can't hit
back. That's the kind no always picks on"
answered Abe.
.You'll pay for this" shouted Pancake,
striding off after the sergeant OF the guard.
At that moment little drummer appeared
by the flagstaff and beat lively rataplan.
"That's for dress parade" said Kent Ed
wards, rising. "We'd better skip right over
to quarters and fall in"
4Wish their dress parades were in the brim-
stone flames," growled Abo Bolton, as he rose
to accompany his comrade. "All they're for
is to stand up as background, to show off a
lot of spruce young officers dressed in fancy
rigs"
@Well," said Kent, lightly, as they walked
along, II kind of like that; don't you? We
make picturesque backgrounds, don't we2
You and ], especially; you, the soft, tender,
1.-THE and willowy; and 1, the frowning,
rugged and admantine, so to speak. l think
the background business is our best hold"
He laughed heartily at his own sarcasm,
but Abe was not to t,e moved by such
frivolity. and answered, glumly:
"Oh, yes; laugh about it, if you choose.
That's your way; giggle over everything.
But when play background want it to be
with something worth while in the fore
ground. don't banker after making myself
a foil to show off such fellers as our officers
are to good advantage"
THAT don't bother mo any more than it
does mountain to serve as background
for nanny goat and pair Of sore-eyel
mules!"
Eyes, but tho mountain sometimes has an
opportunity to drop an avalanche on 'en,."
At this point of the discussion they arrived
at the company grounds, and had scarcely
time to snatch up their guns and don their
belts before the company moved out to take
its place in the reginlental line.
The occasion of Lieut.. Pancakes elaborate
personal ornamentation now manifested
itself. By reason Of Capt. Benefits absence
nc was in command Of the company and wa:
about to make his first appearance on parade
IN that capacity. Two or three young women,
u the hollyhock order Of beauty, whom he
was very anxious to impress, had been brought
to camp to witness his apotheosis into a com
handing officer
Inc moment, however, that he placed him.
se1 at tho head Of the company and drew
sword the chill breath of distrust sent the
mercury OF self-confidence down to zero. 1t
looked SO easy to command company when
some one else was doing it; it was hard when
ae tried it himself. All the imps Of confusion
ueM nigh revcl in his mind when he attempted
" give the orders which he had conned until
" supposed he had them "dead-letter perfect
41e ieit his usually unfailing assurance shrivel
W under the gaze Of hundreds Of mercilessly
''at!cai eyes. He managed to stammer out:
Astent'on, company; forward, file right,
march"
, nue as the company began to execute the
~ ueI II seemed to be going just the opposite
" wnaG he had commanded. and he called gu,
excitedly:
IN, NOT that way! Not that way! 1 said file
f's1r, and you're going left!"
:, we we arc filing right" answered some one
- tne company. YOU'RE turned around;
'' a. :. what's the matter with you"
So. 90 IL was He had forgotten that when
o Ss,aong facing the men he must give them
on's IN reverse from what the movement
s; psatea TO him. This increased his confu-
f fr"n until all his drill knowledge seemed gone
c1o '' n y; The sight of his young lady friends,